Northern Star
by shukishi
Summary: In an age when Anima are rapidly disappearing and more than a decade after the four traveling Anima cease their journey and chose to remain cut off from the outside world.
1. Chapter 1

Northern Star

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In an age when +Anima are rapidly disappearing and more than a decade after the four traveling +Anima cease their journey and chose to remain cut off from the outside world. When the four find out about it, what will they do? Will they choose to remain recluse from the outside world or begin another journey again?

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Astarian, year 360, in a small bustling town named Crow's Nest was quite a sight for a seventeen years old Ann Cordial. Though it was not as uncommon to see +Anima in public since five years ago, it was certainly different for Ann. The +Anima in this town interact with non +Anima were very friendly and it seems as though the population between the two were half and half, around one fourth more than in any other places she's been to ever since the laws about +Anima have been more fair and lenient that's been passed four years ago.

"Excuse me?" A soft and mature voice snapped Ann out of her thoughts. Ann turn to look at a woman taller than her own five four height with long beautiful wavy wheat golden locks and warm green eyes that instantly reminded her of her own mother's eyes. The woman wore a simple dress with flowers near the hem and a shawl with embroideries of flowers, all in the colors of earth based theme.

"Y-Yes?" Ann manages to stutter out.

"Are you lost?" The woman asks with a curious look.

"Um-no ma'am." Ann said with a nervous smile, "It just surprises me of how many +Anima there is."

"Oh?" The woman asks, her smile dampened a bit, "Do you not like +Anima?"

"Oh no!" Ann quickly says, "I love them a lot! I'm actually a traveling +Anima researcher. I live for the sake of getting to know all types of +Anima. I'm just surprise because all other places I've been to with +Anima doesn't nearly have this much population all in one place."

"Really?" The woman's smile brightens.

"Yes!" Ann said enthusiastically, "I can't wait until I ask the +Anima about the events that happened five year ago."

"Five years ago? Is there any particular reason for that time period?"

"Of course," Ann excitedly nodded her head. "Although I got the whole story down from word to word, I would like to know how +Anima felt at that time. Also, if I can get how they felt than, from what I gather and if enough, I can help get a word in and get the new law for +Anima to pass. The +Anima in my hometown are counting on me!"

"If you would," The woman started, gesturing for the younger girl to follow her to an open restaurant with tables set outside. "Can you please tell me what happen five years ago? I'm afraid I've been too busy during that time to actually get the really story that took place instead of just rumors that I keep on hearing."

"Of course!" Ann said, quickly walking to an empty bench with the woman behind her. "Let's go."

"Shall we get something to eat while you tell me the story?" The woman set her basket full of food on the bench next to her.

"Yes if you don't mind," Ann said with a sheepish smile, "I haven't eaten anything since the last town a few miles ago. I'm a bit hungry."

The woman only smiles and ordered the recommended food for both of them. They sat comfortably while they waited for the food to arrive.

"How should I start?" Ann mumbled to herself and muses for minutes while the woman in front of her chuckled. "Ah! I know!" Ann suddenly said right when the bowl of noodles were place in front of them, earning a surprised look from the waiter.

"Okay, here's how it goes." Ann said while absentmindedly blowing on her noodles. "Around the year of 355, +Anima were starting to disappear. Not just their +Anima tattoo disappearing but also the +Anima themselves. +Anima might have been wiped from existent if it weren't for four +Animas who traveled and helped unraveled the secrets as to why +Anima were disappearing. They were a crow, bat, fish, and a bear +Anima. The crow +Anima were called Cooro, the bat was called Nana, the fish were called Husky, and the bear was Senri…"

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Deep in a forest where only animals live, a two-story cottage was built in between of two tall and big tree. The area surrounding the cottage was peaceful, very beautiful, and quite undisturbed. That is, until a cry (or screeching was more like it) came from the cottage, making birds fly away in panic. Rabbits, squirrels, and any other animals in the vicinity ran to take shelter, afraid of what might happen next.

Inside the cottage was one distraught young woman, no older than twenty-three. Her normally golden wavy hair that was secured under her flower themed hat from getting dirty was frizzled in anger. Her green yellow eyes narrowed, quite pissed off. Most worth knowing of all were her ears. Normally human eyes were replaced by large bat shaped ears. As she was heaving and breath out of control, she tried to count to ten to calm herself but soon forgot about her plan when stomping feet came from all direction to where she was. Turning around one-eighty so fast, she almost startled the three fully-grown men that came to see what happened.

"Nana?" Cooro nervously asks, already seeing her famous tantrum coming alive. Though all three were use to her throwing (rightfully so) tantrums, fear still lurks around their hearts for reason they don't know why. "What happened?"

"What happened?" Nana started while the three prepared themselves, "What happened?! I'll tell you what happened! Someone ate my hard worked pie that prepared for our dessert today! Did you know how hard it was to buy those good quality apples at that cheap of price? I specially made them because I knew how you three miss those desserts we use to eat years ago! So tell me now or only God can help me, who ate the pie and left a mess?!"

The three froze, two froze because they were looking forward for the famous apple pie she learned years ago and perfected it to perfection over the years. One froze and quickly wiped away a crumb that were near his mouth but he was not quick enough.

"Cooro!" Nana cried in indignation with her hands on her hips, a position she picked up over the years because of the boys immatureness that creeps out more than she'd like after they became adults. "How could you? This was suppose to be for everyone and I don't have any more apples to make another one!"

"I'm sorry Nana!" Cooro apologized nervously, "I didn't mean to but they smelled so good and-and-and-"

"Ugh!" Nana wanted to hit something, "Cooro! That doesn't excuse anything! Here!" Nana handed him some coins, "You better buy good apples and bring them to me without eating any!"

"Aw…just one Nana?" Cooro pouted.

"I mean it Cooro!" Nana said with a voice that leaves no room for disobedient.

"Okay, okay!" Cooro quickly said, putting the money safely and hurriedly run out of the cottage before activating his +Anima powers. Black glorious feather wings sprouted out from his back and took off.

Nana stood angrily at the doorstep, watching Cooro fly to the direction of the town before she shuts the door almost to hard.

Husky and Senri who've been staying silent since coming downstairs straighten up as Nana walked angrily past them. They only gave a sigh of relief when they heard the Nana finishing walking upstairs and shuts her room's door with a bang.

"Cooro doesn't learn does he?" Husky asks Senri with a sigh, "Even when he's already twenty-four."

Thirty years old Senri silently nodded his head in agreement and put his hand over his stomach area.

"Yeah, I know." Husky said with his own hand over his stomach, "I was really looking forward for the apple pie too…I hope Nana make Cooro not eat this pie. He already ate enough of it."

Senri nodded firmly. He too, was looking forward to the pie, especially when he smelt the just made pie from his room. Senri couldn't wait until dinnertime but that plan was thrown out of the window a few minutes ago.

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Your thoughts are much appriciated.

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	2. Chapter 2

Northern Star

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In an age when +Anima are rapidly disappearing and more than a decade after the four traveling +Anima cease their journey and chose to remain cut off from the outside world. When the four find out about it, what will they do? Will they choose to remain recluse from the outside world or begin another journey again?

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When Cooro flew over the nearest town, a mile or two from the edge of the forest and near the mildly big river that flow from one side of the forest to the other and out to gather a rather big lake, he smiles and wave to the people he knew since the four came about a decade and more years ago.

Retrieving his wings, Cooro quickly smiles to the apple vendor owner, hoping to get some good apples for Nana and maybe have some more of the apple pie.

"Hello sir!" Cooro brightly said, earning an equally bright smile from the middle age old man.

"Hey there Cooro, did Nana send you for more apples?"

"Eheh…" Cooro chuckled nervously, "I kind of ate the apple pie and she had me get more so she can bake another for Husky and Senri."

The man tsked at Cooro's sheepish expression but smiles nevertheless as he gathers good apples for him. "You should really stop eating Nana's desserts before she serves them."

"I know…" Cooro said as he paid the man and took the bag of apples, "But I can't help it! Her apple pies are my favorites."

The man laughed boisterously and gave the tall Cooro a big pat on the shoulders. Cooro winced just a bit, wondering what this man did to look harmless but packed a big punch. The man face than turn serious, "Have you heard, Cooro? I don't know if anyone told you this but it's about +Anima in the cities."

"Heard about what? What about the +Anima?" Cooro asks curiously, shifting the bag of apples so he can clutch it more firmly.

"About the +Anima…they've…"

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Cooro speeded as much as he can back into the forest and to his cottage. As he sped, he couldn't help but think over the conversation he had with the apple vendor.

_"About the +Anima…they've been disappearing. I heard from the main cities, they've been searching non-stop for +Anima who disappeared abruptly. They also been trying to find out how +Anima who been using their powers suddenly lost it and their tattoos. Though there are still people who don't like +Anima, the recent disappearing alerted many people, especially since they've been employing +Anima for work nowadays. Has your +Anima powers and your friends still work properly?"_

_"Our +Anima is still working quite well but…I need to head back so they'll know…" Cooro said, his heart beating a bit faster._

_"Be careful, since the recent disappearing has been spreading beyond the cities to towns as well…Just a few days ago, the three towns away from us, lost about three of their +Anima workers."_

Cooro didn't stopped at the entrance and chose to quickly fly in through the open window, startling the three whose been waiting around for him.

"Cooro!" Nana scolded, "How many times do I have to say, don't enter by the window! You might have knock down everything!"

"Nana! Husky! Senri!" Cooro cried out in a hurry.

"Cooro?" Husky asks a bit worriedly, Cooro look quite frantic, "What happened?"

Cooro looked like he was about to cry and cry he did. The tears that welled up at the corners of his eyes fell and Cooro wailed loudly.

"Co-Cooro?!" Nana nervously asks, "I'm sorry for yelling, what's the matter? Cooro?"

"The pl-pla…!" Cooro brokenly said.

"The what?" Husky asks, "The place? Plate?"

"What's wrong Cooro?" Nana asks. Senri wordlessly put his hand over his shoulders to try and calm the crying Cooro down.

"The-The plus Anima are disappearing!" Cooro managed to say before he cried again.

"What?!" Husky and Nana almost shouted while Senri looked surprised.

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End of Chapter 2

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